5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TRAVEL NURSING IN 2022

TRAVEL NURSING IN THE WAKE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC – 2022

When healthcare organizations are facing staffing shortages, they turn to travel nurses to be able to continue providing healthcare for their communities. While compassionate, and skilled nurses have always been needed and hospitals have been reporting nursing shortages even before the COVID-19 global pandemic, today, the demand for nurses across the nation has reached an all-time high, especially for travel nurses. 

While shifts can be long and strenuous — the process of becoming a travel nurse being no exception — healthcare systems and medical practices across the nation have started making improvements to ease the toll the profession takes on healthcare professionals, and enacted protocols to quicken staff placement, especially in the case of travel nurses. 

Here are 5 things to know about travel nursing in 2022: 

1.   Top 3 traits that make nurses a top candidate for the position:

While we can make an extensive list of skills and personality traits that would help travel nurses thrive in the profession, three qualities stand out the most on the road to success.  

• ADAPTABILITY

While adaptability is key to most professions, travel nurses today need to have a “go with the flow” attitude more than ever. With protocols and requirements continuing to change due to the global pandemic, travel nurses need to stay calm and flexible when faced with unexpected surges of patients, new protocols, and fluctuating safety measures. 

• COMPASSION

Nursing is a profession where you know you are making a difference. No matter where and no matter how overwhelming the circumstances are, an ideal candidate should be able to show up for their patients each day and advocate for the best care available to them.  

• DEPENDABILITY

Travel nurses are whom healthcare organizations turn to when they are short-staffed to be able to keep their doors open for their patients. Without travel nurses, these communities could be faced with untreated medical emergencies. It is crucial for travel nurses to be reliable to meet all the requirements of a travel contract.

2.   Shorter certification process; a quicker path to placements

In response to the nursing shortage across the nation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, states have enacted emergency protocols to quicken the state-specific licensing procedures for travel nurses. For example, what used to take a 3-month plus licensing process in California, a qualifying travel RN can be licensed and placed in their assignment as quickly as a week. 

3.   Increased mental health resources available to medical staff

Among many things, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of mental health care among healthcare workers. With everything that we’ve faced throughout the pandemic, we prioritize the mental health of all our healthcare providers here at Precision and offer benefits and resources to help ” ………. ” available to our candidates and their families starting from day one of any travel assignment”.

4.   Travel nursing is in high demand; Get higher compensation for what you love to do!

Healthcare organizations across the country need to fill staffing gaps quickly in order to maintain quality patient care. The fastest way to fill these vacancies is through short-term travel nursing contracts. With the demand for travel nurses at an all-time high in the past 20 years and a surplus of vacancies, corresponding wages are subsequently at an all-time high for travel nurse placements. While this is an unfortunate consequence of decreasing numbers among permanent nursing teams, longer hours, and increased workplace risk due to the pandemic, organizations are willing to compensate travel nurses rewardingly for their skill, care, and willingness to serve in the frontlines of healthcare.

5.   Freedom to travel wherever you want!

While having to travel could be perceived as a sacrifice for some, it could be perceived as freedom for others. Today, more and more nurses are considering becoming travel nurses for the opportunities it offers including but not limited to the freedom to:

• Choose your location
• Bring your family along
• Take a break between contracts without having to sacrifice your career

Travel nursing offers you the ability to do what you love, where you want to do it, and how it best fits your lifestyle. 

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a Precision Healthcare Travel Nurse, click here.